


Awaken.

by Shadows_of_The_Night11



Series: A hundred lives. [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Amazonian!Alex, Diana is Alex's mom, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Kryptonian!Kara, Slow Burn, The Wonder Woman AU no one asked for, alternative take
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-02-26 05:46:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13229292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadows_of_The_Night11/pseuds/Shadows_of_The_Night11
Summary: Once Zeus falls, a new cycle must begin. New Gods will rise above all mortals but some, some will come from the sky.





	1. Prologue: A silent plea.

**Author's Note:**

> Un-betaed. All mistakes are mine. Supergirl and its characters aren't my property and this is just a work of fiction without any lucrative ends.  
> Please, enjoy.

Gods have always been there along with humanity. Some of them wanted to protect such a fragile albeit determined creation while other deities dedicated their lives to trying to destroy it. Humans, with all their virtues and flaws, were nothing more than a pest for those who were able to hold the world on their shoulders or change the destiny of the world within the blink of an eye.

Wars were held in name of humanity and many Gods fell in a bath of blood and glory. Only a few remained to write the extraordinary feats as a memorial of those who lived and the ones that succumbed to their greed.

However, since the beginning of the time, all gods and goddesses had something in common; no matter their goals or the plans they had for mortals, they would write stories in the sky using the stars as their ever-lasting ink. They would create and recreate the tales only known by those who lived and made them.

Some of those stars, beautiful in essence and powerful as metaphors, would guide humanity through time and stormy seas. Those little dots of light, dusted upon the black sky above would help them find their way back home. Although men never learned the sacred art of actually reading the stars and understand the real meaning hidden on their sparkle, they took such a precious thing and used it as best as they could. Humans were resourceful, to say the least, therefore; they gave a different meaning to every star and to every constellation.

While they tried to understand their own place in the universe, they found beauty in the world that the gods gifted to them. They remained blind to the great tales hidden in plain view but found a light that belonged just to them.

Only Amazons, pure and powerful, were taught how to find those legends and myths that every star told as a bedtime story. There were many facts, many parts of story willing to unfold in front of those who knew how to listen, how to decipher a mystery. Only Amazons knew about the Great Fall where most deities perished and only two survived; Ares and Zeus.

A handful of warriors, confined to a mystical island, were the only ones to know about the great battles of Olympus. Only they were the owners of a kind of knowledge that would never reach humanity. Amazons were blessed and cursed with Themyscira, waiting patiently for humanity to call for them again.

They had to wait until mortals needed them once more to show them the path that the stars weren’t able to.

Among all the Amazons the Queen was the wiser one.

She knew about the young princess almost a century before Diana was finally born. Each day, Queen Hippolyta craved her daughter's presence, a little girl who would give meaning to a life full of promises and she was running thin on patience. However, time and time again, the stars told her to wait a little more, a little longer. The time wasn't quite right just yet.

Diana would be special in many ways. Everyone knew that thanks to the nocturnal skies.

She would have the power of her father, but with such power came a great responsibility and a mission to protect humanity once Zeus was no longer there to fight. Diana would be the last gift from the Gods; at least until new ones appeared to start the cycle once again.

Queen Hippolyta knew about the wars and those dark times lurking in the near future although a cloud of uncertainty obscured the details. Once Diana was born, the stars remained still and silent. There was no sign of war but it was almost impossible to know when the Amazons were still trapped in their paradise.

When the time came, the first signal appeared in the sky as a plane crashed rather violently in the always calm waters of Themyscira. An army of enemy boats went through the barrier with their hearts filled with wrath and their weapons at the ready. They were following Ares’ silent command, blindly and unaware of his presence, as they strode with a fierceness only seen in the underworld.

Diana was meant to be a hero not because of the power running through her veins but due to the kindness on her heart. Diana would be a hero because she wanted to help others and because doing what was right, not for her but for others, was the best thing she could do.

 

Hippolyta then accepted that her sweet daughter, stronger than any and all Amazonians, had to fulfill her destiny and follow her true call in the land of men

The world out there was dark, scary and dangerous. There was no doubt about that. However, there was no doubt that Diana was brave enough to face it and enter the gloomy world with her head held high and her heart shining as the moon did above them. Diana held her sword with the conviction, not of a warrior but a champion and if someone was able to defeat the god of war, that person would be Diana.

It took a God to kill another and Diana was the mightiest of them all.

With all the love and grief in her heart, the Amazonian Queen let her sweet child go to face the war that would end all the wars. Hippolyta prayed to all the fallen deities, if any of them was able to listen, to keep Diana safe in a journey that would either free humanity or chain her to a reality the daughter of Zeus wouldn’t be able to escape. Diana would fight the master of war and she would need to find a way to defeat him in his domains.

The sky remained silent after Ares faded from existence and the last traces of Zeus were gone with him.

The Amazons kept training; getting stronger and better in the art of battle. The world around them changed but not the stars. They resigned themselves to wait but never lost faith. They waited for a sign to appear, a new star to take its rightful place above but the silence never wavered and the air, salty due to the sea, was filled with nervousness and uncertainty.

No one knew what would happen next as the spaces between chapters of history grew larger and larger until the volumes were all written on paper, stored in the blessed library of Themyscira until the ink dried on the pots centuries before it could reach any trace of paper.

Centuries went by before Diana went back to Themyscira; her mind stronger than ever and her heart full of hope for humanity. She had stayed in a place that no God but Ares ever knew. Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, all of them stared down from their places above the mortal realm. Not Diana. She joined them, shared her life with them as much as she was able to without exposing her true nature.

Years of being around humans taught her to keep her guard up, just in case. She saw the best of the world, experienced the beauty of life and the pleasure of simple things like ice cream but she also saw the worst. She saw the pain, the hunger, the feeling of hopelessness that she wasn’t able to push away. She was a Goddess but she wasn’t able to save everyone.

Diana learned to be happy away from her people and she only went back when she felt the need to return home.

Then, it happened.

A red stripe appeared in the night sky, bright and blinding for a second and gone the next. It was something sudden, no warning beforehand and a new sea of stars was left behind. Hundreds of stars told the story of a faraway world. Little glimpses of an entire civilization that was dying and a silent plea of a defeated God were reduced to a new constellation marrying a long silent sky.

The Great Rao was fighting to keep his people safe but his strength dimmed, his light wasn’t warm enough anymore and soon everything he fought to protect would be gone. Unable to stop the fateful fate of Krypton, he could only try to grant his people enough time to send away some of his children. Rao begged those who were willing to listen, to welcome and protect the little souls he no longer could. Rao was dying and so was Krypton but saving one was saving as much of Krypton and that was better than failing them all.

There was no hesitation as the Amazons took action.

Entire volumes were written that night. Eager minds drank the knowledge of a new world, a new culture, a different civilization and people who were so different and yet so similar. They both thrived to be better, to do better and find happiness even in the darkest days.

Slowly but surely every Amazon learned about Krypton; the language, the houses and guilds as well as the effect the yellow Sun would have on those that came from that foreign world. They learned as much as the stars were able to tell and with shaking breaths they wished it was enough to welcome the last children of Krypton.

However, there wasn’t much activity after that last call for help. Two years went by, slowly and yet quickly for those who had graced the face of Earth for thousands of years.

Two years passed until finally, a ship entered the atmosphere. It was alone and lost in its journey to Earth.

A little boy was found inside as the alien pod crashed on the other side of the world; so far away from Themyscira. It was followed by a meteorite rain that gathered the attention of many and yet, it seemed like just a few were looking at the sky at the right moment to witness the arrival.

Diana, as the only Amazon that knew the world outside of Themyscira, was sent to look for him. She had waited that moment since Rao tried calling for some form of mercy. Finding him on Kansas wasn’t particularly hard after the signs left by the asteroid rain or the marks left on a corn field. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots that would lead her to the Kent farm solely to realize that she was late

She found him already settled in a family that was willing to take care of him despite his obvious alien nature. Even when Diana was something more than a mortal, she found no space pod and no other sign that the young Kryptonian came from anywhere but good old Kansas.

Kal-El had found his place on Earth within hours of landing. Diana couldn’t take him away from a family that was so willing to love him after he lost it all although he was too young to be aware of such a cruel fate. Diana didn’t have the Earth to take him away from that kind of safety, it was more than offering a roof and bed to a baby that had nothing on this planet but offer him the love and support that would help him overcome the truth once he was ready to know his true origin.

After making sure he would be properly taken care of, Diana left the Kent family in peace.

She would return some day; when he needed some help to understand his origins. Meanwhile, she would make sure of his safety and happiness from afar, leaving the Kents to do the rest for her as they carried on the promise to Rao; the God that saw the day Kal-El, from now on Clark Kent, was born.

There was no other child of Krypton after Clark even when Diana waited patiently for the longest days and the darkest nights. There wasn’t another lost soul in this foreign world, at least not one that came from Krypton. Diana was sure of it as she started a journey across the world, looking in the most forgotten places where hiding could have been easy but in the end, her search was to no avail.

Of course, she found many aliens from several worlds that had died just as Krypton. Others were at wars and the refugees were trying to find a new home on a different planet even with the heartache following them like a heavy shadow. They were looking for hope wherever they could find it and once again, Diana wasn’t going to take that away. She would keep their secret because she knew how hard it was to fit in a society that, more often than not, would have a closed mind to all the things considered foreign.

For eight years nothing changed.

Clark was a young, happy boy, but he was alone as a Kryptonian. His powers grew with him and his control over them was natural. His father helped him train and Diana admired the adaptability of humans when affronted to unknown challenges.

Although the sky remained silent, Diana was able to see the change before it happened. She was able to feel it way before the stars uttered a word. Clark was meant to be a hero because he wanted to help those who weren’t able to defend themselves. He wanted to use his abilities to do better and prove that he was on Earth for a greater reason than escaping the death of his home world.

Perhaps he was too young to truly realize this but Diana didn’t have to look twice at him.

Clark had spent eight years and one day on Earth when the sky filled with millions of new stars.

The emptiness that followed Zeus’s fall suddenly wasn’t empty anymore. In every black spot, a new star appeared to bestow light not just upon humanity but upon those who were left in the dark due to a total silence. Every unwritten chapter in the story of the universe itself displayed itself in seconds. The details of what happened in the war between Zeus and Ares appeared above and culminated with Diana’s name written among Gods.

New constellation surged with such speed that the Amazons could only stare in awe as it happened. New stories were born and entwined with a past that looked far away. This was the beginning of a new era that shone brightly in the middle of the night but the stories that were yet to unfold weren’t all that bright.

This was the time for new Gods to arise even when the stars already told the Amazons that some Gods would fall from the sky. The beginning of a new era had started but the sky wasn’t waiting for Kal-El.

Everything always started with Zeus and as time told them once, it would start in the same way.

“This is how it begins,” Queen Hippolyta said, transfixed by the changing sky as she stood next to her daughter. “The cycle has started once more and the balance will return as the Gods come back to guide humanity.”

A cry pierced the night; soft in essence but strong enough to be heard.

A girl was born from clay, her skin smudged with it as bright eyes reflected the stars that told her story. She was the last true gift from the Gods. She was the first piece of the puzzle that the stars were solving above Themyscira and above the world. This little girl was nothing but a fresh start.


	2. Arc I: Remembrance. Part I.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Queen reflects about the similarities between her daughter and the youngest Amazons on Themyscira and realizes that she has more than what she ever asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter but I hope you like it. Arc I is an introduction to the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Dedicated to the person that entered my life to inspire me. Thank you, for being my Lantern through the darkest nights. <3

_“You’ve told me this story before.”_

Hippolyta chuckled while she leaned against the wall. She remembered having that very same conversation with her own daughter centuries ago.

It was slightly unsettling to see the beginning of a new cycle, with all the things that implied, when every Amazon was aware of their own story. There were many terrible things in their past and the history of mankind. There were many tales that went dark even when the actions took place in the middle of a hot summer day.

Many wars were remembered by every standing warrior and all the fallen heroes remained alive by their memories on the sky. Songs of blood and fire were sung by the stars like a veil of fragility; capable of breaking down at any given moment. It would be far too easy to tip the scale of peace and let the fire of battle consume all the things Amazons and humans worked so hard to protect.

It would be too easy to follow the steps of a God that wasn’t even there anymore although the scars of war remained present in the land of men; scars that acted like roots when the anger boiled too hard.

Without a doubt, Ares was one of the strongest Gods and the Amazonian Queen feared that he would be one of the first to come back now that a new age started. He had enough power to wipe everything off the face of Earth until a worthy rival decided to stand up to play his game.

Hippolyta feared that her daughter wouldn’t survive a second encounter with the God of War. Maybe it was nothing more than a foolish thought since Diana became a better warrior than Antiope ever was but a mother could never stop worrying about her child. Hippolyta feared that her granddaughter; still so young and innocent, would rise to take that place and her hands would be tainted with blood for others to live in peace.

“That’s why today we’re learning something different, my love.” Diana spoke softly, bringing Hippolyta back to the moment “Today, we’re going to learn about a faraway world called: Krypton. If you’re patient, you’ll have the chance to become a protector, like the rest of us.”

“Really?”

Young eyes were filled with excitement before the possibility of being a true Amazon.

The latest gift of the Gods was part of a secret world hidden behind a magical, although thin, veil and Hippolyta wondered if keeping Themyscira a secret wasn’t like trying to cover the Sun with a finger. It was possible if seen from the right angle but fruitless in the end.

“Yes. Come outside with me. The stars are waiting for us and I will help you to read them.”

There was something; about Diana and the little girl, that was outstanding even on an island full of warrior women. They were exceptionally beautiful, but so were the rest of Amazons. If Hippolyta had to point it out she would say they had the grace of the Gods. There was royalty on their veins and purity on their souls even when Diana witnessed the worst parts of war when she left Themyscira for the first time.

Maybe they had a powerful aura that followed them wherever they went. It was clear that they were destined to greater things. They weren’t simple warriors or the bridge to a greater understanding. They were meant to save the world. They were meant to be the protectors of a planet that needed heroes as much as it needed hope.

“Grand! Are you coming with us?”

Hazel eyes looked at Hippolyta with such earnest and hope that the Queen didn’t find it within herself to say no. She was able to lead an army and take harsh decisions when needed and yet when affronted with the eyes of such a young girl that looked at her with nothing but admiration and love, she caved in less than a second.

“Do you want me to?”

“Your presence is always welcomed, mother,” Diana answered with a soft smile.

Hippolyta always wanted a daughter, but when Diana kissed her cheek and lifted a young princess to do the same, she knew that Zeus gave her so much more than that. She had a family in every warrior out there, looking up at her like the Queen she was. However, Diana and Alexandra of Themyscira looked at her like she was so much more than she thought she could be.

No matter what the future had in store for them, Hippolyta found happiness even at the brink of danger. And she wished upon every star that her little family did the same.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it and I'll see you next time.


	3. Arc I: Remembrance. Part II.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A morning in the life of our youngest Amazonian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also short but I wanted to portray Alex's life as a child in Themyscira. So you'll have some more little Alex, hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Finding Alexandra near the cliff, watching the warriors while they train, is not a surprise at all. Diana’s presence next to the youngest Amazonian is a welcomed sight for the Queen. She approaches them just as the Sun breaks the horizon line and cast the entire island on its golden embrace.

“I’m glad to see you, mother” Diana greets with a gentle bow.

“Our warriors became better in the last centuries. They train harder than ever under our new general,” Hippolyta says with a distant look as she thinks of Antiope and the place she left vacant. “It’s good to know someone else appreciates their efforts. What do you think, Alex?”

The young girl smiles brightly although she never lets Diana’s hand go. She’s still too young to join them even when she admires the art of their movements. She’s younger than Diana when she skipped her lessons and yet, Alex is curious enough to wake up before dawn.

Every day, without missing a single one, she watches them train before breakfast. Then, once every Amazon returns to their duties, she drinks Diana’s knowledge of the world eagerly.

Hazel eyes shine when Themyscira’s princess shares the tales Hippolyta told her a lifetime ago. That creature, innocent although eager to explore the world, finds comfort in the arms of her mother. She falls into her afternoon nap with the images of the open sea and an unexplored world plaguing her dreams.

It’s then when Hippolyta _knows_.

She knows exactly why Alex picked Diana even without knowing. Her silence as Diana took her into her arms for the first time and the soft smile that melted the heart of every Amazon.

Hippolyta can see the way her daughter learned from the Queen’s mistakes and became a better warrior, a better leader and in general, a better human being.

If she changed the world in the past, it would be for more than her power; the power of Zeus on her veins. She changed the world with her heart; capable of loving through pain and anger. She changed the world with her determination to do better, to help others not because they deserved it, but because she believes in people as much as she believes in Gods. Maybe she can’t save them all, but she never stops trying.

Finally, Hippolyta is not blind and accepts that Diana is braver than herself.

Diana took the harsh decisions when Hippolyta failed to do so. She faced a war, unprepared as she was; when the Queen tried to deny such a hopeless situation. Diana dared to be brave when the Queen held fear close to her heart. She took a step forward when no one raised their hands to help humanity.

There are many things the Queen can’t teach Alex, but Diana will.

In exchange, the youngest Amazon will show them a whole new world.

“I think it’s time for breakfast.” Alex says with a mischievous smile.

“Oh, is it?” Hippolyta asks while taking Alex into her arms. “Then, you should invite our warriors to join us.”

A simple gesture is enough to gather everyone’s attention until all eyes are on the Queen and the precious cargo on her arms.

Whenever Alex is around, there’s an air of excitement following. It’s an air the Queen knows well from the precious years of Diana’s childhood. Perhaps everyone indulged her mischief a little too much, but even Hippolyta has to admit the playful smirk was endearing. It’s not hard to admit the same thing happens with Alex.

“Good morning, Your Majesty” A chorus of voices greets although not in unison.

However, the Queen remains silent as Alex looks in awe at the way every warrior pays attention to her grandmother even when she hasn’t said a word yet.

“Our beloved Alexandra has an announcement to make.”

Following the royal example of Hippolyta, Alex squares her shoulders and looks around before caving in with an excited smile.

“It’s breakfast time!”

Perhaps Alex is still young to join the fight. Too young to even know about the darkness looming close. But soon enough she will find the charm of the shield and the deadly attraction on the sharp edge of a sword.

The fear of losing Diana was always present, even when the princess came back to Themyscira. And that fear grips Hippolyta’s heart even tighter when Alex is so similar to her mother. She is smart and strong, with a clear interest in science and the stories hidden in the stars. There’s a fire burning in her eyes, the need for _more_.

For now, her most powerful weapon is the truth and she doesn’t need the lasso of Hestia just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I'll see you next time!


	4. Arc I: Remembrance. Part III.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More interactions between Diana and Alex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just think that Alex deserves a better childhood. And I love this spin-off. I hope you do as well.

Nights in Themyscira tend to be quiet; the waves crashing on the shore the only sound breaking the peaceful silent. That and the fire that keeps Alex’s room warm. It’s not like she gets really cold in an island that is nothing short of a paradise. Still, Alex enjoys the warmth under the covers while she looks expectantly to hear another bedtime story.

  
It doesn’t take long before Diana enters with the old book beneath her arm, a soft smile on her lips as she approaches her daughter. They’ve done this for years, every day; just like they watch the warriors training, and it never gets old. Perhaps Diana is biased because she has taken care of Alexandra for ten years now and the girl will ask for her every night. They formed a bond that Diana doesn’t share with Hippolyta.

  
Being a Queen gives a lot of responsibilities and they take time, time away from a young princess.

  
However, Diana takes time to give some lessons to Alex. She taught her Greek and helped her improve her Kryptonian when the young girl asked for it. They try to spend as much time as possible learning from each other. Let it be learning how to swim in the depths of the ocean or how to laugh when they share a bowl of ice cream courtesy of Diana Prince.

  
“Mom,” Alex starts with eyes as bright as ever “how is the world out there?” 

It’s not the first time Alex asks the same thing, and Diana knows that perhaps they should explore the rest of the planet. They should take a trip out of Paradise and witness the land of men. It’s not a perfect world; Diana knows as much, but there are several things both of them can still learn. They can learn about cars and elevators. Alex can witness the beauty of Paris standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower. They can enjoy a buzzing night; filled with energy and hope for a new day, on London and explore that side of the world that not even Diana has been able to see yet. 

“It’s different,” she says as she sits next to Alex “There’s beauty in some places, beauty in people. And there are things you don’t know when you live here; like greed and wrath.”

  
“Is that why you fought Ares?”

  
“I fought him because it was my responsibility. But the fact that he’s not out there doesn’t mean things are perfect. Humans have both light and darkness within them. They are capable of a great kindness, capable of loving with the intensity of the Sun. But they’re also capable of a great evil. They have a choice to do the right thing and I like to believe they will pick light if given the choice.”

  
Alex’s brow furrows while she tries to wrap her head around the concept, it’s not hard and yet, it’s complicated.

  
“Why are you so sure about that?”

  
“Someone taught me that. A man I knew once. His name was Steve and he showed me that Themyscira is a beautiful place. The barriers around our island conceal us from the rest of the world, but they hide everything that is out there from us as well. And you can’t see underwater without diving.”

  
“Will I ever be able to go there?”

  
“Of course,” Diana replies with a smile that falters just slightly, “You have to learn more about us before you can start a new adventure. Like a book, you can’t read the next chapter until you’ve finished the one you should.”

  
There’s a moment of silence as they enjoy the each other’s company.

  
Diana knows there’s something else bothering Alex, but she has learned she can’t push her and get an answer. It’s better to give her enough time and space for her to find the right way to approach the subject. Alex is still young, but that doesn’t mean she likes to be questioned all the time. She is growing so fast, and Diana just wants her to feel loved.

  
“Do I need to learn everything about Themyscira because I’m the last?”

  
The question is soft, there’s a shadow of fear on hazel eyes when Alex looks up, but she tries to stay strong.

  
She shouldn’t have to pretend. Diana brings her into a gentle hug, running her fingers through her hair in a soothing way. It’s true that Alex is the last Amazon, the last one created by the Gods. That fact is written in the stars, and Alex has been reading them for years now. It had been just a matter of time before she knew. Diana would have liked to have some more time, a couple of years for Alex to understand the truth stars won’t say.

  
“Learning about Themyscira is learning about many things. Knowledge will take you far in whatever path you decide to follow. We are the bridge to a better understanding. We can’t do that without knowing about our history and the past of humanity. Soon, you’ll get to know the rest of the world.”Knowing she was avoiding to answer the question directly, Diana sighed before kneeling next to Alex’s bed to look straight into those lovely eyes, “Listen to me, you are our last gift. You will take everything we are to places we haven’t heard about, but not yet. And remember, even if you are the last of us, that doesn’t mean you’re alone. You’ll never be alone.”

  
“You promise?”

  
“Always.” Brushing a rebel strand from Alex’s face, Diana offered a smile. “I got you.”

  
That got an equally bright smile from Alex as she relaxed in bed. Her eyelids dropped with heavy sleep although she wasn’t completely asleep yet. She held Diana’s hand, not wanting to be alone so soon.

  
“I love you, mama.”

  
“I love you too, my love.” Diana whispered against Alex’s forehead where she placed a soft kiss.

  
“Can you tell me about it again?”

  
“I thought you knew it all already.”

  
“Do you think they’re still out there? Are they going to arrive anytime soon?”

  
“For what the stars have told me, there’s a spaceship out there; making its way to us. It’s a slow journey, but they will be here…soon.”

  
As the fire starts dying in Alex’s room, Diana sees the red lights caught in auburn hair.

  
Maybe Rao was strong enough to bless the heir of Themyscira with a beauty from another world. Maybe, Alex will be strong enough to save the souls Rao wasn’t able to protect on their way to Earth.


	5. Arc I: Remembrance. Part IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the Wonder Woman movie, we get to see Alex training. This takes place when Alex is around 13/14 years old so by the time Kara gets there, she's 15 while Kara is 13. I'm trying to stick to this little bit of canon before drifting on into unknown territory.

“Never doubt yourself!” Diana shouts as she charges again.

“I’m not!” Alex replies as she dodges another blow.

“You’re holding back!”

A moment later, Alex is on her back again. A grunt escapes her lips as a wave of pain floods through her body. She barely has enough time to roll over as another hit lands on the grass where she laid a second ago. She can barely keep the pace by now as exhaustion starts making her its prey.

“You don’t know how powerful you truly are.”

Lowering her sword, Diana extends her hand to help Alex back on her feet.  It’s normal for her to check Alex for any injuries while her daughter struggles to catch her breath. This is something they do as often as possible. They train together with the help of a few other warriors helping Alexandra on a more regular basis.

“Why? Is it because I’m the heir of the Queen?”

“No. You’re much more than that. You’re not aware of your powers yet, but soon you’ll find out. There are many things you have to learn first; just like you have to learn about Themyscira and the vast knowledge in our books and antecessors. You can’t learn how to control the power of the Gods if you can’t control your own body.”

Alex nods once her breathing starts going back to normal.

Every warrior is exceptional in their own way. They’ve trained for centuries so they can turn into better fighters and protectors of the world. Perhaps Alex is just fourteen; she’s still learning about herself and the universe out there, but she will find her place in a world often unforgiving. She will find her place among humans to be the shield they ache to hold.

“Are you ready?”

Hazel eyes focus on her mother before the challenge starts again.

“Yes.”

Her muscles are burning, her energy levels running low, but Alex knows the world waiting for her is not fair. It’s always a possibility to run out of time between fights to protect them from any danger. Alex is not going to fight her battles, but she will stay always close to pick those fights they aren’t supposed to win.

For now, it’s not like Alex expects to win. However, she becomes better with every try. She learns to adjust her movements by just a millimeter; enough to shift her position away from the sword. She learns to read an incoming blow even when her mother knows how to stay two steps ahead. This is not solely a battle of a sword against the shield. It’s an old dance between bright minds trained in the art of war.

Maybe Alex knows how to read the stars, but she hasn’t learned how to interpret the darkness. She knows how to wear her armor although she’s still learning how to _use_ it. From a young age, she adapted to fill the role of an Amazonian Princess and yet, her journey to achieve her full potential as a Goddess has hardly started.

Every day; after her lessons are over, Alex joins her mother seeking new knowledge. She learns more about Themyscira.

Science and literature come easily to her. She might struggle with calculus from time to time, but a little guidance is all she needs to stay on track. Still, her curiosity never stops. Her need for _more_ is always present. She’s meant for great things. She feels the pull towards the unknown expanse of the universe as she takes every ounce of knowledge she’s able to get from the Amazonian Princess. She listens carefully to those tales, that one day, were known as the present.

As she lies in bed, head resting on Diana’s lap, they travel through time and space until Alex is able to imagine the first battle between Gods like a fresh memory. She is able to feel the shadow of her mother’s heartache when they talk about Steve. Alex can feel the spark of _something_ when the stars take them to Krypton.

“Sometimes you don’t need to actually _know_ ,” Diana told her once. “Sometimes you just feel the path you have to follow. That feeling guides you to the place where you belong. And then when you meet _them_ for the first time, you look into their eyes and that is enough to let you know you’re in the right place. You see them and they see you. It’s then when you realize who you are meant to be even if you don’t know them.”

When Steve entered Diana’s life for the first time, she knew that she was meant to _help_ in the way no one else dared to. When she saw the fear in mortals’ faces, she knew that she had to do something. She had to do more even if that meant going to the front line of war to face Ares face to face. She tried to ignore the pain of many fallen soldiers. She tried to ignore the cries for help until she saw the desperation and hopelessness in a mother’s face.

It was all she could take.

She grew tired of hiding behind corners and the mask of normalcy. She wasn’t normal, and that was okay.

She crossed the land no man was able to because she was more than them and yet, she was there to help. She crossed the land with her shield up and her feet firmly planted on the ground as she took step after step to reach the other side.

No, it wasn’t something as simple as reaching the deep end of the war in Germany or Belgium. It was about reaching light through the darkness and finding hope when there was none on that battlefield.

“Then who am I now?”

“You’re my greatest love.”

When Diana leans down to kiss the top of her head, Alex believes every word.

When her mother bids her goodnight, Alex offers a single prayer to Heavens. _To Rao._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I'm thinking about updating once per week, trying to enter a schedule for this fic, and would like to know if you guys have preference for a specific day. Let me know if you do in the comments. Also let me know what you think about this chapter.


	6. Act I: Remembrance. Part V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the last daughter of Krypton arrives and we see some more parallels between Diana and Alex. However, Kara is not alone and her company is not the Man of Steel.

One year, two months and eleven days of training is the exact time it takes Alex to get Princess Diana of Themyscira flat on her back. Of course, the moment can’t last forever, and the next thing Alex knows is her feet are no longer on the ground.

She grunts when her back collides against the grass although she’s still smiling at her little victory. She’s drained after the intensive training and Diana indulges in the much-needed break. The afternoon breeze helps them chill their overheated bodies as they catch their breath.

Both of them rest side by side, lying down on their backs, so they can stare at the sky above them before Diana speaks again.

“I’m proud of you, Alexandra.”

“Why? I’m not as good as you.”

“True, but I have a few centuries of practice on my side. You learn fast and you don’t give up when you face a tough challenge. You are brave and kind. I have no doubts you’ll be a great leader when the right time comes.”

Those words capture Alex’s attention although she has no time to question their meaning when the air cracks dangerously about them. The whole island is on edge as they wait for something to happen; _anything._

The barriers concealing Themyscira disappear for a brief second to reveal something unusual falling from the sky. It comes crashing surrounded by dark smoke and vibrant flames until it lands into the blue sea. The weight pulls it down until the weaves erase its presence almost completely as it sinks further.

It takes just a second to understand exactly what that object is and where it came from.

Mother and daughter move like one. They jump over the edge of the cliff and enter the water barely disturbing the surface. They swim until they’re able to see the spaceship into the distance. They can’t look inside although there’s no need when they are aware of its contents: The last child of Rao.

Alex arrives half a second before her mother. Her hands press against the underside of the ship and for the first time in her still young, life; she feels an overwhelming rush of energy. This time is more than adrenaline or excitement. It’s hard to explain the feeling in her muscles as she pushes with all her strength until the ship stops sinking to move upwards instead.

Her muscles burn and her lungs ache with the increasing need to breathe when Diana reaches her.

Both of them pull the strange spaceship out of the sea and into the shore.

Tanned skin shines gently as the sunlight dances on the droplets of salty water. However, Ale’s bracelets shine brighter with her true power even when she’s too focused on the ship to notice.

The glint of _something_ shining on the metal around her wrists is not enough to deter Alex from following her mother as she cracks the ship open. Inside; two pairs of eyes look at them; wary and slightly afraid.

“Welcome to Earth,” Diana greets in fluent Kryptonian. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“Who are you?”

Alex meets blue eyes; deeper than the vast ocean behind them and she _knows_ who she is meant to be. She knows what her place is before she knows _her._

She can see the awe in those bright eyes. She can see hope after spending almost an eternity lost in the dark universe. Alex can also see the fear of facing a whole new world where they don’t really belong when even the man of steel stands out. They are beings more powerful than any human; almost considered deities. They don’t know a thing about this place and yet, everyone seems to know them.

It wouldn’t take a bright mind to identify the sorrow and grief embracing those two beings previously sheltered by metal. But it would take a perceptive one to catch the subtle sign of relief painted on their faces.

Alexandra: “Defender of mankind.”

For a long time, she wondered why Diana picked such a name and destiny for her.

It’s not that Alex finally understands.

“I’m Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Queen Hippolyta and this is my daughter…”

“Alex.”

The younger Amazon offers a smile; warm and comforting, and after a second of hesitation she receives a shy, tentative one in return. The same feeling of being in the right place at the right time makes them both blush slightly.

“I’m Kara Zor-El, and I’m…I’m the last daughter of Krypton.”

General Astra In-Ze wraps an arm around her niece with the silent promise of never leaving Kara alone.

Yes, Alex is a protector even if she would choose Kara over the rest of the world.

She’s a Guardian.

She vows to protect that smile and the hope in blue eyes. She makes an oath to keep Kara safe through her own journey on Earth. She wishes with all her heart time can give the new arrivals some peace of mind after they witnessed the end of their world. She stands taller, like the warrior she was born to be, to defend them; to defend _Kara_ , from any harm.

Kara is not alone.

And Alex just _knows_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Arc I


	7. Arc II: Gods Among Us Part I

The sky changed slowly, opening into a new canvas encased in pitch black darkness. Then, the stars came out one by one, giving light to the island of warrior women, telling stories of the universe and the heroes living among them. Night fell with the serenity of the sailor that made their way back home safely.

Perhaps that’s how the day went, with two travelers finally reaching a new place to stay. Furthermore, they didn’t land just on Earth but on Themyscira, the open land of knowledge. They were welcomed in their own language, with a little piece of their home. It acted like a lantern guiding them through their new journey.

However, as the dark mantle settled in; Kryptonian cells already filled with the energy of the yellow Sun, their powers made their first appearance with small demonstrations. Perhaps it was a broken plate here or a tiny puff of icy air in there. But once their minds are put at ease and their bodies are ready to relax for a few hours, the calm night turned into a silent storm.

Kara was suffering. Her whimpering was loud enough for Astra to hear. She hurried through the night; heart beating fast and mind filling with a thousand different threats. The general wonders if Themyscira was just a trap, but nothing seemed to change. Her bare feet took her to where Kara was, just to find Diana already there.

The Princess stood close to the entrance, but she had no intention to get any closer to the distressed girl. Her back was towards Astra as she watched the interaction within the room. Her arms crossed over her chest and her robes covering her slim figure from the gentle breeze.

Diana’s calm made nothing to ease Astra’s worries, to calm her nerves or put her mind to rest after she witnessed the loss of her world. It was understandable. Kara was all she had left. Losing the young girl was not an option. But the smile on Diana’s face when she finally turned her told another story. It made Astra slow her brisk pace although she didn’t stop until she was next to her.

She wasn’t worried, and when she moved to grant Astra a better look of the room, the general understood why.

Even when Kara was still whimpering, there was no need to worry anymore. She was safe.

“Hey, listen to me,” Alex said in a soft whisper. The youngest Amazon was kneeling in front of Kara; taking Kryptonian hands on her own. “Focus on my voice and block everything else. I know it’s hard, but you can do it. At least try. There’s no one else here and nothing but my voice.”

“It’s so loud,” Kara replied with tears forming on blue eyes.

“Tell me what you hear.”

Kara tilted her head in confusion before closing her eyes. She tried to focus on every sound, identifying the different sources. A part of her knew things could be much worse although it did little to comfort her through her pain. It wasn’t easy, but Kara was able to pick the different sounds; tearing them apart from each other until they became clearer.

“Water,” she muttered a few seconds later. “It’s loud and comes from many places. It moves in different directions too. It sounds…it sounds like chaos.”

Alex didn’t look away from the blonde.

There was so much pain on Kara’s face, and no one was able to turn down the noise. They could try, but there was no way to silence the world. There was no way to understand such a sudden change for Kara. Even her body and abilities were changing. Her body accepted the change of light way before Kara could process her loss.

Alex never thought Themyscira could be anything but Paradise. The blue sea around them; protecting their legacy from intruders, turned into a cacophony made of different tides. The tall waterfalls scattered around the island proved them fresh water to quench their thirst, but their stream brought frustrated tears to Kara’s eyes. And finally, the underground springs helped to ease their pain and sometimes heal their souls, but their muffled roar became Kara’s agony.

“I hear people too, but their voices are quiet now.”

Most of Themyscira was already asleep after a long day. Perhaps Amazons were more than humans, but a day full of restless training and the surprise of both Kryptonians took a toll on them. The few Amazons still awake were at the shore, enjoying the rest of the night with soft conversations and strong wine. However, their voices became a soft flow of far away words covered by the sound of water running free.

“I can hear life.”

That was harder to figure out. There was life in many places. It was hidden in the water and deep into the woods. It crawled on the mud and lingered in the trees. But, after a beat, Alex knew exactly what Kara meant.

Alex moved her hands slowly, only finding resistance when Kara refused to let go. Blue eyes shot open with fear. The prospect of being alone scared her more than the world staring blaring on her ears. But the Amazon remained calm. Her expression was soft; hazel eyes full of understanding and the promise of not going anywhere clear on her expression. Alex placed her hands over Kara’s ears, pressing softly until they were fully covered.

It was obvious the small action could never be enough to muffle the rest of the world. However, that wasn’t Alex’s plan.

“Can you hear me?”

Kara looked confused for a moment because she was able to hear what was happening on the other side of the island. It took her another second to understand Alex wasn’t trying to block the sound. Actually, she was trying to make her _listen_.

Once realization hit, Kara was able to identify the sound of Alex’s blood running through her veins. Allowing her eyes to close again, Kara gasped softly when she picked Alex’s heartbeat. It was loud and steady. Then, the slow breathing slipped through Kara’s control and she couldn’t help but sync her own to Alex’s.

The rest of the world faded away when her full attention was focused on Alexandra. The water sound fell behind Alex’s heartbeat. The murmurs of a hidden civilization where muffled by the slow intake of air Alex did every few seconds. The sound of a thousand lives came to a halting stop.

Everything reduced to one life, one person, and one moment marked with a heartbeat.

Suddenly, Kara was able to breathe again. Her senses came back under her control, and the whispers disappeared after a few seconds. Strong shoulders relaxed before her pained expression was gone as well.

“That’s it, Kara. Follow the sound of my voice. Listen to my heart.”

Another moment passed before Alex decided to take another step. “You’re doing good, so good. Now, I’m going to move my hands away, okay? Try to keep your focus on me. You can do that for me, Kara? Could you try?”

Blue eyes met hazel before Kara nodded. She was nervous at the idea of losing control again, but there was also courage and bravery. This was nothing more than a challenge, and Kara was a warrior. Perhaps she wasn’t an Amazon and the ability to wield a sword was beyond her imagination. But she was part of the House of El. She wasn’t going to give up. Kara Zor-El was a warrior too; a survivor.

She prepared for the onslaught of sensations while trying to keep her focus on Alex. She closed her senses, still matching her breathing with the Amazon girl although it hitched slightly when Alex removed her hands.

Even in the dim light of the room, Kara was able to see golden sparkles on pools of brown. She was able to notice the tiny freckles on sun-bathed skin. She was able to catch the red glint on dark hair, and couldn’t help but raise a hand to comb the red strands.

“I see you,” Kara said with awe.

She was able to perceive every detail she couldn’t have seen without her powers. She couldn’t have seen Alex’s smirk even if they were only an inch apart.

“Oh? And how do I look?” Alex asked with a sliver of mischief in her voice. “Do I look alien to you? Am I the ugliest being you’ve ever seen?”

“No!” Kara said with a giggle. “You look beautiful.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. An eyebrow quirked at the statement and she wished that from all things Kara was able to see, her blush was not one of them.

“Well,” the Amazon said before clearing her throat “that’s because you haven’t seen my eight eyes yet.”

“What?”

“Oh, yeah. We don’t use them often because people would get scared. Maybe I’ll show you someday if you promise not to scream too loud.”

“I wouldn’t be scared of you.”

“You don’t have to. Now, lie down and try to get some sleep.”

Kara did as instructed but there was nervousness back in her eyes. She held Alex’s hand with a silent plea hanging in the air. However, her fears turned to elation when Alex slipped next to her in bed. There was no hesitation when Alex gave Kara the chance to rest her head on her chest. The hammering sound of Alex’s heart was enough to lull her to sleep.

“I got you now, Kara,” Alex mumbled as she drifted off as well.

After making sure both girls were truly asleep, Diana and Astra moved away and back into the safety of the night. Even the sky was quiet; no new stories to be told, and the same darkness threatening to fall. There were no close threats, and peace would remain on Earth for the near future.

“Your daughter is truly something else.”

Diana let out a sigh with the weight of her choices on her shoulders. There were many things Alex didn’t know, and if Diana learned something from her own history it was she couldn’t hide the truth for much longer.

“What do you mean?” The Princess inquired anyway.

“I’m a General. I was trained to read people as fast as possible. Alexandra is young and wears her feelings on the sleeve. But I can tell she’s a warrior already. There’s a fire in her eyes I’ve only seen a few times in my life. She’s a brave one.”

“She has a big heart. Everyone loves her.”

“I wonder if any of it has to do with the fact she’s the only young girl around.”

Diana kept walking, barely looking at the other woman as they made their way to the shore. Some Amazons still lingered there; enjoying the night by a fire as they shared stories of old times. They had faced many wars and deserved some peace as well. After all, it wouldn’t last forever.

Humanity’s future was uncertain and so was theirs.

“You must understand some secrets belong only to my people. Secrets that make us who we are, and secrets that can’t be revealed yet. Sometimes a big heart is not enough if the mind hasn’t been expanded. Some truths can break a soul if they’re not handled correctly,” Diana finally answered. “Sometimes telling the truth can offer you power, but the things at risk could be enough to hold you back.”

Astra was aware of how much a secret could cost. The death of her planet was a prime example.

Alura didn’t want to spread panic, but the lack of awareness blew off on their faces quite literally. It was a secret the twins regretted although keeping the truth hidden from Kara wasn’t a hard choice. The General wasn’t going to taint the image Kara had of her mother. Kara’s heart was strong, but she was blissfully unaware of their story.

“Sometimes you need to believe they will make the best of a situation. I understand it’s not my place and will not overstep, but I know that the truth will always shine through.”

“I don’t plan to hold the truth forever,” Diana conceded. “But it’s certainly nothing compared to the tentacles. Now, trying to hide that is truly a challenge.”

“What?”

General Astra In-Ze had been to seven different galaxies and a total of a hundred and twenty-nine planets. Only a handful of them had life, but out of fifty-three species she encountered in her days as a General, none of them had tentacles.

“Are you being serious?” Astra asked with a dumbfounded expression.

“You’ll have to wait and see, General.”

“Is that so?” The Kryptonian asked with amusement in her voice.

Astra’s powers weren’t present yet. Her body needed a longer exposure to the yellow sun although she had no doubt they would show up at some point. However, she didn’t need them to find the same fire on Diana that she found on young Alexandra.

Diana of Themyscira was more than what met the eye. She was a warrior, there was no doubt about that, but every woman on that island was one. Even then, fighting wasn’t enough to be a hero; more often than not fighting only made soldiers. Sometimes fighting only gave blood to those who craved power.

“You’re also something else, Diana of Themyscira.”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

It was too soon to fully comprehend Diana’s words. It was too soon to see the power behind her kind smile or contemplate the destruction her hands could evoke. It took Ares years to perfect his biggest war. It took Diana one battle to end it.

Diana’s power would be nothing compared to Alex’s once her daughter was ready to embrace it.

The Princess was able to see the first signs appearing. Alex’s strength was above average even for Amazonian standards. In just a couple of years, she would be able to take down any Amazon without breaking a sweat. Still, a good warrior was more than strength or speed. Alex knew it, that’s why she left everything on the battlefield until her muscles were aching.

“How did you know?” Astra pondered, breaking Diana’s line of thought. “That we would come.”

Diana met Astra’s eyes while she tried to find the best way to explain it. It wasn’t hard to believe although it could be hard to understand when Astra knew so little about Earth and Themyscira.

“We are the bridge to a greater understanding, but we’re also protectors and guides. We’ve been hiding for a long time since humanity often condemns what they don’t understand. Still, there are wars they cannot fight alone; moments that will decide the future of this planet. Not fighting is not an option then. Those times don’t come as often, and centuries can go by with our peace undisturbed. So, we learned about every culture and language until we learned the language of the universe.”

Diana looked up at the stars and Astra followed her example. Both women stared at the sky in silence; listening to the night.

“You could say it was written in the stars although it is more complicated than that. The day Krypton died; there was a distress call in the sky. Everything about your world and culture was given to us when we promised to take care of Rao’s last children. We were only expected two of you, but gave up hope almost entirely after years passed without a second ship.”

“A second ship?” Astra asked suddenly alarmed. “Who else got here?”

“He goes by the name of Clark Kent, but that is not your question. His name is Kal-El. He arrived as a baby. I was there to see the moment he turned into a Kent.”

The knowledge did nothing to ease Astra’s suspicion. Her shoulders tensed up along with her jaw. She hid it as well as a General was supposed to, but Diana was more perceptive than many.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing to worry about, just an old family dispute. Kara was sent to Earth to ensure the survival of Krypton’s most respectable house. Kara is the legit heir of her house. She was designed to be perfect, the epitome of what we should have been. Kal- El shouldn’t be here, and whoever sent him made sure to throw Kara’s pod out of course. We weren’t the only ones meant to escape. Perhaps it was too late to save Krypton, but our people…” Astra made a pause, grief coloring her expression before she hid her pain. “Kal-El is alive, enjoying the peace of a human life, and is unaware of everything we’ve lost. Kara will remember it every day of her life, and there’s nothing I can do to ease her pain.”

“You can be there for her,” Diana said as she placed her hand on the General’s shoulder. “And you can do right by her house. You’re all she needs right now, and you’ll be stronger together.”

Things would be hard, but for the first time since the pod crashed on Themyscira, Astra felt hope.

She dared to _believe_.


	8. Arc II: Gods Among Us Part II

Lessons felt dull all morning and Alex’s mind went back to Kara more often than not. She hadn’t seen the girl all day; in part due to her lessons, and partially because the girl was with her aunt. They were trying to figure out their powers while learning to control the ones they already had. Although Alex knew Kara was okay, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from going back to her no matter how hard she tried.

“She’s been like that all morning. I even changed the subject twice to entice her, but to no avail.”

Those words took a few seconds to register before Alex was blinking her thoughts away. A soft blush took over her cheeks when she found her tutor looking at her with an amused smirk. However, it was nothing compared to the embarrassment she felt when she met her mother’s eyes.

Diana seemed equal parts amused and exasperated even if there was no harshness in her expression.

It wasn’t hard to see Alex had an interest in the young Kryptonian. But it was hard to tell if said interest was due to Alex’s fascination with the stars; being exposed to other cultures and the history of a world so far away, or simply because Kara was another teenager in an island full of adults.

“Mo-mother,” Alex stammered in her haze.

“IT seems like you’re too distracted to pay attention. We were wondering how much if had to do with a young woman coming from space.”

“Oh,” Alex’s blush intensified as she looked back at her desk. “I was just thinking…it must be hard.”

Diana noticed the change in her daughter’s voice and knew Alex’s worry went deeper than she thought. Diana wasn’t foreign to the concept of loss, but none of her pain could ever compare to losing almost every piece of her home.

“I can’t even imagine it,” Alex continued. “Coming to Earth trying to survive, being aware everything you knew is gone. And suddenly your body seems just as foreign.”

The Amazon Princess took a seat next to her daughter, pulling her into a hug as she caressed auburn hair. It took another moment for Alex to look up into her mother’s eyes where she found nothing but deep understanding.

“That’s why we’re here. We saw Rao’s plea and listened to his wishes. They’re in a new world, but not alone. They have each other. They have us now,” Diana said cupping Alex’s face before leaving a gentle peck in one of them. “Go check on her.”

Alex seemed to glow at the prospect but made sure to keep her excitement in check.

“Really?”

“Of course,” Diana conceded before motioning towards the door. “Something tells me you won’t be able to focus before you make sure she’s okay. So go on. Get rid of your fears; put your mind at ease. I’m sure you’ll find them near the cliff.”

As soon as those words left Diana’s lips, Alex was practically running out the door.

“Make sure to be back for your afternoon lesson!” She shouted over her shoulder.

“Yes, mom! I love you!”

The Princess shook her head with a fond smile on her lips. There was nothing she could do to hold back Alex’s excitement. And there was no reason to do it because Kara’s presence would nurture Alex’s heart and expand her mind.

Themyscira was certainly a great start, but all that knowledge fell short when faced with the rest of the world and beyond. Learning Sumerian could help stop a war, but doing the right thing required a strong will and more than a little bit of hope.

“It seems like Alexandra isn’t the only one lost in thought,” Mnemosyne said with a smirk. “But at least she doesn’t escape every chance she gets.”

That made Diana chuckle and shrug sheepishly.

“That was such a long time ago, and I stopped running once Antiope…”

There was a pause as both women remembered their former General. Centuries had passed since that day, but her presence was strong every day. IT was hard not to think about her when Diana treasured the headpiece she had worn so long ago. That war affected them all, and the memory of Steve became a permanent echo in Diana’s heart.

“She would be proud of you,” Mnemosyne whispered. “Both of you.”

“I hope so.”

******

The Sun was shining brightly when Alex made her way outside. It was barely past noon, but Alex didn’t care about time while she ran to the cliff. She could feel her muscles burning due to exertion as she pushed herself to run just a little faster. There were a couple of voices asking her to slow down, but there was no way to do it while her heart raced along with her feet. Her boots echoed her heartbeat every time they hit the ground, and Alex wondered if Kara was able to hear her.

Her steps finally took her to the place where Astra was smiling softly at her niece.

Meanwhile, Kara was laughing, and the sound seemed magical to Alex.

“You’re flying!” She blurted out with surprise.

Kara was, indeed, hovering above the ground. She seemed a little wobbly although she had enough control not to face-plant on the grass. Stunning blue eyes went wide with glee before Alex had a handful of Kryptonian colliding against her.

“Alex!”

Both girls didn’t notice the full extent of their abilities. It wasn’t the case with Astra. She had discovered Kara’s true strength a couple of hours before. Still, the sudden action made her worry about the young Amazon’s well being. It should have been enough to tackle Alexandra to the ground.

However, Alex didn’t move at all. She took the impact without taking a step back or flinching. Not a single sign of discomfort was present on her face as she took Kara in her arms and twirled her around in the air.

“Hey there,” Alex said when she put the girl down. “Is everything okay?”

The question was directed to both Kryptonians although Astra was too lost in thought to manage more than a nod. It was enough for Alex as she returned her attention to Kara.

“Themyscira is so beautiful!” Kara said in awe. “It’s so different from Krypton and everything I know. It seems almost magical.”

Funny word since Alex thought Kara was magical too.

The girl’s excitement was contagious, and soon, Alex was smiling just as brightly as Kara told her about the things she had seen all morning. Even when they pulled apart from their long embrace, Kara was still floating, either too excited to care or unable to control it.

“What do you think of the sea?”

There was a glimpse of fear flashing on Kara’s eyes.

They were too close to the shore so perhaps the sound was too loud. However, Kara didn’t seem to be in any kind of pain. She was scared at the immensity of the sea surrounding the island. Water was the only thing she was able to see no matter how hard she tried to focus on the horizon.

“Hey, hey,” Alex called softly, pulling Kara back to the moment. “I understand it’s scary. No one will force you to go in there. No one is going to hurt you. I won’t let them.”

“It’s big like space. I don’t want to go back to space. Please, don’t send us back.”

The answer was unexpected. Desperation clouded Kara’s voice as she sought reassurance from Alex and then Astra. Her gaze fell in one before moving to the other with the expectation of the worst. Kara wanted to feel safe after traveling through space for so long. There was sadness marrying her expression, but also deep fear.

There was no way Alex could understand it because even the stars were unable to tell the whole story.

“Little one,” Astra started, kneeling in front of her only family. “I promise no one will ever send you away if I can help it. I wasn’t able to save Krypton, and that is something I will regret every day of my life. But you are my treasure. Sending you away wasn’t a decision made lightly. My sister didn’t want to. Rao, she loved you more than anything, my sweet Kara. I know you miss her, and I miss her too, but I won’t ever leave you.”

Astra wrapped her arms around Kara, holding her tight.

The smile was gone and the grief of losing Krypton finally crashed on Kara. The pain was unbearable. It was forgotten by the prospect of a new beginning, but Themyscira’s light was enough to remind her of the cold darkness of space. The depth of the ocean reflected the emptiness of the Phantom Zone with blue tinted accuracy.

Their pod crashed, and a moment later they were sinking back into darkness. It didn’t last long, but the fear of its unforgiving depth along with the silent murmur of oblivion hung heavily around them the deeper they went.

Themyscira was the bridge to a greater understanding, but so far Alex didn’t know how to cure heartache. Perhaps it wasn’t possible. The entire island ached for their fallen warriors, and there were no words that could ease the pain or grief of losing an entire world.

Alex’s heart was heavy as she walked away from them. There was no comfort she could offer or wise words to make things better. She glanced back over her shoulder to face two powerful beings sharing the same pain. They were a family and the only survivors after the end of an era.

The Amazon could feel renewed courage burning in her core. There was nothing she could do to change the past. Her movements were a little quicker, and every hit became a tad stronger when she entered the training area. Perhaps she would have a chance to change the future, and she would be ready.

Her current partner seemed to notice the hard edge of every blow although something told them Alex’s mind wasn’t truly there.

Alex’s body moved effortlessly, following the path of a battle she already knew, almost like choreography. She moved with the flow; blocking every blow, attacking when she sensed an opening, but her eyes were not seeing. Her senses took over the empty space left by her mind.

“That’s enough.”

Alex nodded, lowering her sword and offering a reverence to her partner. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel as tired as she usually did.

“You’re almost ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“To know the truth.”


	9. Arc II. Gods Among Us. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana & Alex centric.

“What do you want to know?”

Alex always had many questions. She was curious about the world and everything in it. Since she was a toddler, Alex found a special bond with nature. However, that didn’t limit her mind from reaching out towards the universe itself. She fell in love with the creatures living on the island but ached to touch the stars.

“Can you tell me about it again?”

Diana hummed in agreement. She couldn’t blame Alex for asking about the same story she loved so many years ago. Hippolyta would tell her the very same tale almost every night. The story of the Amazonians and the Gods. The final battle between Zeus and Ares.

That story tangled with Diana’s own. So, Alex liked to hear the extended version. She took in every word with attentive eyes and an open mind. She was always ready to hear the same story, no matter how many times she did so before. It didn’t matter if she knew every word by heart. Diana’s voice was enough to soothe her racing mind when she needed some comfort.

“I used to want to save the world,” Diana started.

Alex looked up at her mother with the admiration of someone looking directly at a living legend. It wasn’t far away from the truth although Diana refused to be called a legend. Her name wasn’t in the history books, and the only memory the world had of her was an old picture lost in time.

The youngest Amazon had heard the same story from every woman on the island. Everyone had something new to add; another piece of an old tale still fresh in their memories. However, something about Diana’s voice never failed to enthrall Alex in a way not even Hippolyta was able to mimic.

Perhaps Diana knew the most about that story, but the facts didn’t make Alex relax. Themyscira was their home; the sea and the starry sky kept them safe, but there was no place where Alex felt as safe as she did lying down on Diana’s lap. The Amazonian princess wasn’t shy with her affection or protectiveness when it came to Alex. And their bond couldn’t have been stronger even if Diana had given birth to her.

“Mom?” Alex asked. Her favorite story was interrupted by the clear doubt in her eyes. “I want to know the truth.”

It was easy to tell there was something on Alex’s mind. It was enough to conflict there although Diana didn’t have enough information to help her out. So, she waited silently for Alex to put her thoughts in order.

Alex always knew there was something different with her. Perhaps it was the fact she was the youngest Amazon and the closest woman to her age was her mother. Maybe it was a constant feeling she learned to push to the back of her mind. Even when she had tried to forget about it, the sensation wouldn’t leave her alone.

She was curious, but this time she wanted to know the beginning of her own story.

When she took too long to speak, Diana did it.

“You know the truth already; every little detail of the story.”

“No. I mean…I know that story and love every part of it. But that’s not what I want to know.”

Hazel eyes were able to ask the many questions Alex couldn’t put into words. Her heart longed to know the truth, and even if Diana considered she wasn’t ready to hear the whole story, she couldn’t deny Alex the truth.

“Who told you about it?”

There was only a slight hitch on Diana’s voice although she never stopped running her fingers through Alex’s hair. She worked any knots with the same love and care she always did. It helped to calm their nerves as they were about to have a conversation neither of them expected.

“Does it matter?”

“No. I guess not.”

There was a moment of silence, extended over the doubts of where to start.

“You’re not like the rest of us,” Diana finally said. “But that makes you special, my darling. You know Zeus created, and you know our history. You’ve heard every side of our past. However, since the beginning of our creation as Amazons, only two new warriors had seen the light of a new day.”

“You and I?” Alex asked softly.

“Yes. For a long time, I ached to understand too. My sisters would tell me I was made of clay and brought to life due to Zeus’ magic. It didn’t tell me what I wanted to know. It didn’t help me to understand who I was. I guess some explanations don’t make sense when you don’t know enough. You’ve heard my story…”

“Grandma wanted a child for so long that she begged to the Gods until Zeus granted her wish. But you’re also his final weapon, the only one capable of defeating Ares. You’re the God killer.”

“I was,” Diana said as her fingers left Alex’s hair to trace the soft lines of her face. “Killing Ares was my mission. He was the only God I had to kill. The only one left after Zeus used the last of his power to create me.”

“What about me? What’s my mission?”

“I’m not certain yet,” Diana answered truthfully. “Even the stars aren’t sure of your destiny. But I can tell you came from Heaven.”

“Like Kara? Because she came from the sky, so if you’re telling me I’m an alien, that’d be pretty awesome.”

“No. Not exactly,” Diana replied with amusement in her voice. “They came from Krypton, and sure, that’s the sky. I know that’s the relation we make while thinking of Heaven. But what I mean it’s not the same. You came from the same place where Zeus lived. At least in essence.”

“Am I like you, then? Am I a Goddess?”

Diana smiled despite the situation they were in. Alex was perceptive; capable to put the pieces of a puzzle together in mere seconds no matter how big the challenge. She was able to filter information until she kept only the important bits to know the truth. This time was no different.

“You hold great power within you, but only you can decide what do with it. Only you can define who you truly are. I was meant to end a cycle; to put an end to the ancient Gods. You are meant to start a new one, but the _how_ is on your hands. If you decide to embrace the power, then you can be anything you want. However, it’s not the power that will lead you to greatness. You should always trust your heart.”

“That doesn’t clarify things,” Alex declared with the shadow of a pout.

Diana chuckled for a second. “There are many things you have yet to discover for this to make sense. You weren’t ready to know the truth not because I wanted to hide it. Sometimes time is needed to reveal new paths that remained hidden. And even if this doesn’t make sense now, I promise you it will, once you’re ready. Don’t try to hurry this discovery. After all, you can’t hurry time when it has a course already.”

“That’s why you didn’t tell me before?”

“You tell me. What do you think would have happened?”

“I would be just as confused.”

“That’s right. You would try to meet unknown expectations and wonder if you’re doing enough to reach a destiny you haven’t discovered yet. You deserve the chance to be who you are without any pressure. You deserve to experience life at its fullest without wondering if everything is going to change. I wanted to wait until you were ready. But now you know, and the answers will come to you when the time is right.”

From the moment she held Alex for the first time, Diana made a promise. She swore she wouldn’t hide the truth from Alex no matter how hard it was to tell. She wouldn’t keep her daughter in the dark, so she had to find the truth in the middle of a battle when she was alone. Diana didn’t want Alexandra to face the truth with a broken heart and unprepared.

“You aren’t alone. I promise to stay with you and answer as many questions as I can whenever you have them.”

Alex sank farther into her mother’s embrace. She didn’t know what the future had in store for her, but she wasn’t afraid when her mother’s touch offered the comfort she needed. She didn’t need to worry even when she felt change lurking in the near future. She would accept it and adapt.

Her body was in constant change already and her mind expanded with the knowledge she took from Themyscira. Perhaps she was still young, but she was ready to face the next challenge like the warrior she was.

“Can you stay with me tonight?”

Alex rarely asked her mother to sleep in the same bed. Even as a child, Alex was never afraid of the dark. In those rare occasions, both of them would embrace their company and nurture their bond. It was something simple, but the reminder of how cruel and unforgiving time could be made Diana cherish those moments.

Slipping under the covers, Alex sought the comfort of her mother’s embrace once again. Her arms wrapped around her mom’s waist as she rested her head on Diana’s chest. The beating of her heart was enough to lull Alex to sleep with the certainty there was no other place where she would be safer.

Themyscira was Alex’s home, but the world was waiting; calling for her. The awareness was clear like the daunting sunrise creeping on the horizon. But none of it mattered. Not when they had each other as family.

No one really knew how out of place Diana felt for most of her life. She was loved by hundreds of warrior women, but there were always centuries between them. Being the daughter of the Queen did little to make her life easier when there was some sort of protocol to follow. Perhaps that’s why Diana was so eager to leave when the opportunity was presented.

Sure, helping the world was her principal goal. However, she felt a deeper connection pulling her towards humanity.

It was only a matter of time before Alex felt the same pull. It was only a matter of time before she decided to follow her heart; the heart of Zeus guiding her towards the land of men. Even then, Diana was certain Alex wouldn’t take that step on her own. Kara would follow; blue eyes filled with curiosity and the imperative need to find her home again.

Diana wondered if Kara felt the same while being on Krypton; almost like she was out of place in a world that was hers.

“You’re my greatest love,” Diana whispered against Alex’s hair before pressing a kiss to her forehead. “No matter what happens, that will never change.”

In just a few seconds, Alex was asleep. Her mind lost in a world of endless seas. The stars reflected in the crest of waves as the world became nothing but a blur. Alex had the chance to swim among the stars, even if only in her dreams.

Diana’s story was over. Not her life; she hoped to see her child grow and find happiness. But her chapter on the history of mankind was nothing but an old tale. Her name wouldn’t appear on the stars again although it wouldn’t disappear either.

The stars didn’t lie.

Some Gods would rise from ashes, but a few had fallen from the sky.

Diana held one made of clay; the power of Zeus barely blooming.

And she knew one of the gods fallen from the sky had the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
